Around 150 Chinese nationals have been livestreaming from Dhaka’s low-income neighborhoods for months, falsely presenting the footage as scenes from New Delhi, India, while making disparaging remarks about residents.
Chinese nationals have been livestreaming from Dhaka’s slums, presenting the areas as New Delhi, India, while making derogatory comments about the living conditions, according to an investigation by Bangladesh’s Prothom Alo. The activity has persisted for months, sparking concerns about privacy intrusions and potential disinformation campaigns.
Who Are the Streamers and What Are They Saying?
An estimated 150 Chinese nationals have been filming in Dhaka’s Sector 12 of Uttara and the adjoining Tekpara area, according to the investigation. They livestream on platforms like WeChat and Douyin, telling viewers they are broadcasting from India’s capital.
150 Chinese influencers have been stationed in Bangladesh for the past two months. They are portraying Dhaka’s slums as slums in Delhi and even spreading claims about tea made from cow urine. What is really going on? @pujaranaa reports. pic.twitter.com/WWm71k07mX
The streamers have made a number of disparaging remarks about the neighborhoods and their residents. One streamer, identified as Mianmian from China’s Sichuan province, was filmed beside a canal in Uttara on November 1. She told viewers, This is New Delhi. Their homes are extremely dirty. There isn’t even a fan inside the tin-roofed houses.
Another streamer, Wang Wei, filmed at a local tea stall in Tekpara and claimed, Look, they are drinking tea. Do you know what kind of tea this is? This is cow urine tea.
Other streamers also made derogatory remarks about Bangladeshi men and their spending habits. A Chinese national named Li Yang reportedly highlighted air conditioners in buildings, asking viewers to identify their brands for a prize. The repeated misrepresentation of locations, coupled with insulting commentary, has drawn significant attention.
Why Are They Filming in Dhaka?
The precise purpose behind the livestreams remains unclear. According to News18, top Indian intelligence sources view the broadcasts as a possible attempt at perception-shaping through social media.
The sources suggest the broadcasts aim to circulate negative portrayals of Indian living conditions without filming inside the country. When asked why they had chosen this particular area of Uttara and why they livestreamed continuously, a streamer named Fangyou refused to answer any further questions.
NewsBytes reported that the live streams run from morning till late night. The investigation also found that some Bangladeshi women worked as guides for the Chinese nationals.
Prothom Alo quoted one local guide, Ritu Akhter, as saying she earned Tk 700 to Tk 800 a day for helping them. She said they were particularly interested in filming neighbourhoods inhabited by low-income communities.
Residents Report Intrusion and Privacy Violations
The filming has triggered complaints about intrusion into private spaces.
Rozina Khatun alleged that streamers sometimes walked into homes without considering appropriate dress codes. Papia Begum claimed that some even entered bathrooms while filming. Sometimes they enter our homes and start filming,
Khatun said. Other residents reported that streamers enter residential neighbourhoods and sometimes homes while filming.
Despite these complaints, residents say there has been little intervention from authorities.
150 Chinese influencers in Bangladesh, showing Dhaka slum as Delhi: Here's what happenedhttps://t.co/rT9shZUfhC
What Are Authorities Doing?
Newsable reported that local police have noticed the filming but have struggled to establish its purpose. I don’t know where the videos are screened either,
one officer said. He added that he had informed senior authorities about the filming and that work is underway
on the matter.
